Firearm deaths in North Carolina

The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) is a CDC-funded state-wide surveillance system that
collects detailed information on deaths resulting from violence: homicide, suicide, unintentional firearm deaths,
legal intervention, and deaths for which intent could not be determined. NC-VDRS is a multi-source system that
gathers information from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports. The goal of
this system is to aid researchers, legislators, and community interest groups in the development of public health
prevention strategies to reduce violent deaths. NC-VDRS began collecting data in January, 2004. This document
summarizes 2008 firearm-related deaths among N.C. residents.
In 2008, there were 1,134
firearm-related deaths in North
Carolina.
Causes of death attributable to
firearm mortality include suicide
(58%), homicide (38%),
unintentional discharge of firearm
(1%), legal intervention involving
discharge of firearm (2%), and
undetermined intent (1%).
The rate of firearm-related deaths in North Carolina
has been relatively stable since 2004 (12.1) to 2008
(12.3) (Figure 1).
The mortality rates for firearm-related deaths in
2008 were: suicide 7.1, homicide 4.6, and other
(unintentional, legal intervention and undetermined)
0.5.
The most common location of firearm deaths were:
apartment or home (74.1%), street/road, sidewalk or
alley (8.6%), motor vehicle (excluding school bus or
public transportation) (2.7%), natural area (e.g., field,
woods, beaches) (2.7%), and other establishments
(e.g., grocery store, laundromat) (2.3%).
• More than half (60%) of all North Carolina violent
deaths are due to firearms (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Violent Deaths
by Method, 2008
60%
14%
13%
5%
8%
Firearm
Poisoning
Hanging
Sharp Instrument
Other/Unknown
0
3
6
9
12
15
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Year
Mortality Rate Per 100,000 Population
All Firearm Deaths
Suicide
Homicide
Other
Figure 1: N.C. Annual Firearm Death Rates, 2004-2008
The majority of all North Carolina firearm-related
deaths were men (83%). By
comparison, females account for relatively
few firearm deaths annually (17%) (Figure 4).
Firearm-related mortality rates peak in men
between ages 25-34 at a rate of 31.2, and
begin to rise again later in life, while rates
among women peak between the ages of 35-
44 at a rate of 7.0 (Figure 4).
Suicide is the most common type of firearm-related
death among whites (76.1%) and
Asians (62.5%), while homicide is the more
common type among blacks (80.6%) and
American Indians (64.7%)(Figure 5).
American Indian (30.1) and black (26.9) men have
highest firearm mortality rate compared to white
(19.1) and Asian (8.0) men (Figure 3).
Although rates are much lower in females than
males, white women have the highest firearm
mortality rate (4.5) compared to other races: black
(3.6), American Indian (1.6), Asian (1.9) (Figure 3).
0
10
20
30
40
50
<1 1-4 5-14 15-
24
25-
34
35-
44
45-
54
55-
64
65-
74
75-
84
>84
Age Group
Mortality Rate Per 100,000 Population
Male
Female
0
10
20
30
40
American
Indian
Asian Black White
Race
Mortality Rate per 100,000
Population
Female
Male
76.1%
19.4%
62.5%
35.3% 64.7%
37.5%
80.6%
23.9%
100 75 50 25 0 25 50 75 100
American Indian
Asian
Black
White
Race
Percentage
% Suicides Among All
Firearm Deaths
% Homicides Among All
Firearm Deaths
Figure 5: Percent of Suicides and Homicides by Race, 2008
Figure 4: Firearm Death Rates by Sex and Age, 2008
The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System is supported by Cooperative Agreement 5U17/CE423098-08 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
N.C. Division of Public Health / www.ncpublichealth.com / Injury Epidemiology & Surveillance Unit/ 919-707-5425 / www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov
N.C. Violent Death Reporting System / 919-707-5432
State of North Carolina / Department of Health and Human Services / www.ncdhhs.gov
N.C. DHHS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
Figure 3: Firearm Death Rates by Sex and Race, 2008
NORTH CAROLINA INJURY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov 7/11

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The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) is a CDC-funded state-wide surveillance system that
collects detailed information on deaths resulting from violence: homicide, suicide, unintentional firearm deaths,
legal intervention, and deaths for which intent could not be determined. NC-VDRS is a multi-source system that
gathers information from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports. The goal of
this system is to aid researchers, legislators, and community interest groups in the development of public health
prevention strategies to reduce violent deaths. NC-VDRS began collecting data in January, 2004. This document
summarizes 2008 firearm-related deaths among N.C. residents.
In 2008, there were 1,134
firearm-related deaths in North
Carolina.
Causes of death attributable to
firearm mortality include suicide
(58%), homicide (38%),
unintentional discharge of firearm
(1%), legal intervention involving
discharge of firearm (2%), and
undetermined intent (1%).
The rate of firearm-related deaths in North Carolina
has been relatively stable since 2004 (12.1) to 2008
(12.3) (Figure 1).
The mortality rates for firearm-related deaths in
2008 were: suicide 7.1, homicide 4.6, and other
(unintentional, legal intervention and undetermined)
0.5.
The most common location of firearm deaths were:
apartment or home (74.1%), street/road, sidewalk or
alley (8.6%), motor vehicle (excluding school bus or
public transportation) (2.7%), natural area (e.g., field,
woods, beaches) (2.7%), and other establishments
(e.g., grocery store, laundromat) (2.3%).
• More than half (60%) of all North Carolina violent
deaths are due to firearms (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Violent Deaths
by Method, 2008
60%
14%
13%
5%
8%
Firearm
Poisoning
Hanging
Sharp Instrument
Other/Unknown
0
3
6
9
12
15
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Year
Mortality Rate Per 100,000 Population
All Firearm Deaths
Suicide
Homicide
Other
Figure 1: N.C. Annual Firearm Death Rates, 2004-2008
The majority of all North Carolina firearm-related
deaths were men (83%). By
comparison, females account for relatively
few firearm deaths annually (17%) (Figure 4).
Firearm-related mortality rates peak in men
between ages 25-34 at a rate of 31.2, and
begin to rise again later in life, while rates
among women peak between the ages of 35-
44 at a rate of 7.0 (Figure 4).
Suicide is the most common type of firearm-related
death among whites (76.1%) and
Asians (62.5%), while homicide is the more
common type among blacks (80.6%) and
American Indians (64.7%)(Figure 5).
American Indian (30.1) and black (26.9) men have
highest firearm mortality rate compared to white
(19.1) and Asian (8.0) men (Figure 3).
Although rates are much lower in females than
males, white women have the highest firearm
mortality rate (4.5) compared to other races: black
(3.6), American Indian (1.6), Asian (1.9) (Figure 3).
0
10
20
30
40
50
<1 1-4 5-14 15-
24
25-
34
35-
44
45-
54
55-
64
65-
74
75-
84
>84
Age Group
Mortality Rate Per 100,000 Population
Male
Female
0
10
20
30
40
American
Indian
Asian Black White
Race
Mortality Rate per 100,000
Population
Female
Male
76.1%
19.4%
62.5%
35.3% 64.7%
37.5%
80.6%
23.9%
100 75 50 25 0 25 50 75 100
American Indian
Asian
Black
White
Race
Percentage
% Suicides Among All
Firearm Deaths
% Homicides Among All
Firearm Deaths
Figure 5: Percent of Suicides and Homicides by Race, 2008
Figure 4: Firearm Death Rates by Sex and Age, 2008
The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System is supported by Cooperative Agreement 5U17/CE423098-08 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
N.C. Division of Public Health / www.ncpublichealth.com / Injury Epidemiology & Surveillance Unit/ 919-707-5425 / www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov
N.C. Violent Death Reporting System / 919-707-5432
State of North Carolina / Department of Health and Human Services / www.ncdhhs.gov
N.C. DHHS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
Figure 3: Firearm Death Rates by Sex and Race, 2008
NORTH CAROLINA INJURY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION www.injuryfreenc.ncdhhs.gov 7/11